TerraSin

AndertonWhat I'd like to see for EDM are more MIDI plug-ins. I think there are a whole lot of unexplored options that would save a lot of time and open up creative possibilities. I wonder how hard it is to write them.
 

Depends on what you mean by plugins...

I mean MIDI plug-ins...MIDI FX if you prefer. They provide really useful MIDI functionality.
 
As to sample packs, loops, and other content, they are not done by the developers and do not cut into dev time. Content was always intended as "icing on the cake" for the monthly releases.
 

Adq

mettelus
Sort of confused since initially all the hub bub basically said the last version "owned" was the last update so long as it spanned or exceeded 12 months... Now it says if someone pays 16 months, they only get to month 12?

It seems that it is said only in support's reply to me, so it could be mistake. But it is weird that it is not clarified.

It's not urgent for me since I'm paid up through March, but since I most likely won't be paying for a full 12 months up front after that, it would be nice to have a definitive answer. I'm sure we'll get one sometime before January.
 
-Susan

AndertonI mean MIDI plug-ins...MIDI FX if you prefer. They provide really useful MIDI functionality.
 
As to sample packs, loops, and other content, they are not done by the developers and do not cut into dev time. Content was always intended as "icing on the cake" for the monthly releases.

That's good to know then. I know you had some packs in there as well but wasn't sure about some of the other stuff.
 

charlyg
SO much heartache.....over 14.95/mo 

Very well put.  However, there is another way to think of it from a broader, "holistic" view point.  If one has already owned Sonar then it is $150 per year to purchase the monthly improvements.  With many DAWs there has been a major new release every 2-3 years so the present Sonar cost is equivalent to paying $300 to $450 for one of these.  It is, of course, up to each user to decide whether they feel Sonar is providing the equivalent to 100%, 50% or 33% of a new release each year to gauge the value of Sonar.  My estimate is that I will be getting the equivalent of a major upgrade every 2-3 years at the present rate so I can either keep going with Sonar or spend $300-$450 on something else.  This is, of course, based on the way I use Sonar and the fact that they are ahead in some areas and playing catch-up in others.
 
Using the above logic, I will be assessing the state of play amongst DAWs at the time of renewal and weigh Sonar against products like Studio One (~$300) and Cubase (~$450), especially in the area of Midi editing.
 
Cheers

 

sharke
 You should be able to assign a controller to an automation envelope in one step and draw the envelope with the controller during playback. Simple as that, yet we're screwing around with ACT and all of its horrible bugs and quirks. 

 
Well here's egg on my face. It has been brought to my attention that you CAN do exactly this, and I was just too much of a dumbass to work it out. You just right click on the fader in the automation lane of whatever synth or effect parameter you want to control, and the Remote Control option is right there. It's a simple matter of selecting Controller in the Remote Controller dialog and clicking Learn to map the controller. From there you can just write enable the lane, start playback and twiddle away a controller performance to your heart's content. Can't believe I was goofing around with the monstrosity that is ACT to do this kind of thing with effect parameters before. Sorry Cake!

RD9

charlyg
SO much heartache.....over 14.95/mo 

Very well put.  However, there is another way to think of it from a broader, "holistic" view point.  If one has already owned Sonar then it is $150 per year to purchase the monthly improvements.  With many DAWs there has been a major new release every 2-3 years so the present Sonar cost is equivalent to paying $300 to $450 for one of these.  It is, of course, up to each user to decide whether they feel Sonar is providing the equivalent to 100%, 50% or 33% of a new release each year to gauge the value of Sonar.  My estimate is that I will be getting the equivalent of a major upgrade every 2-3 years at the present rate so I can either keep going with Sonar or spend $300-$450 on something else.  This is, of course, based on the way I use Sonar and the fact that they are ahead in some areas and playing catch-up in others.
 
Using the above logic, I will be assessing the state of play amongst DAWs at the time of renewal and weigh Sonar against products like Studio One (~$300) and Cubase (~$450), especially in the area of Midi editing.
 
Cheers

 
I would be willing to bet that all software companies will go to this model. It creates a steadier (not necessarily higher) stream of income to keep personnel in place for the long haul...

charlyg
 
I would be willing to bet that all software companies will go to this model. It creates a steadier (not necessarily higher) stream of income to keep personnel in place for the long haul...

I agree with your assessment regarding steady income to promote continuity and I believe I suggested this approach to CW about 4 years ago.  This was based on my experience with my FEA software which did a similar thing.  I would make two observations though:
 
1) The FEA software I have been using is only updated once or twice a year.  Once a month would be annoying in that case.  I have advocated CW moving to quarterly updates in the past.
 
2) CW's decision to go with three levels may cause them a bit of trouble in the long run and I would suggest that next year they consider combining Professional and Platinum into one product and charging $100 for it (or $125 if they really need to).  This is based on the following:  If someone paid for Platinum for the first year and then decide to go with Professional in the second year there will be an expectation that they will retain everything from Platinum from the first year.  But what will probably happen is that when they load the first update of Professional all of the extra built-in items that they paid for in the first year will disappear!
 
Cheers
 
 

Anderton
 
As to sample packs, loops, and other content, they are not done by the developers and do not cut into dev time. Content was always intended as "icing on the cake" for the monthly releases.
 

That's cool but Cakewalk does seem to think that sample packs and loops is all they have to do to satisfy EDM producers when in fact we couldn't care less. We want real features and workflow enhancements.

sharke
 

sharke
 You should be able to assign a controller to an automation envelope in one step and draw the envelope with the controller during playback. Simple as that, yet we're screwing around with ACT and all of its horrible bugs and quirks. 

 
Well here's egg on my face. It has been brought to my attention that you CAN do exactly this, and I was just too much of a dumbass to work it out. You just right click on the fader in the automation lane of whatever synth or effect parameter you want to control, and the Remote Control option is right there. It's a simple matter of selecting Controller in the Remote Controller dialog and clicking Learn to map the controller. From there you can just write enable the lane, start playback and twiddle away a controller performance to your heart's content. Can't believe I was goofing around with the monstrosity that is ACT to do this kind of thing with effect parameters before. Sorry Cake!

It's not so simple for plugs w/ a non-trivial number of parms.
 

 
 

RD9
2) CW's decision to go with three levels may cause them a bit of trouble in the long run and I would suggest that next year they consider combining Professional and Platinum into one product and charging $100 for it (or $125 if they really need to).  This is based on the following:  If someone paid for Platinum for the first year and then decide to go with Professional in the second year there will be an expectation that they will retain everything from Platinum from the first year.  But what will probably happen is that when they load the first update of Professional all of the extra built-in items that they paid for in the first year will disappear!

I can't sees DR running on pro after a downgrade looking at previous experience.

Can pro and platinum be installed beside each other, because if it can that resolves that issue regardless of customer expectations.

Ta.